HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 02/11/2025 - Memorandum from Sylvia Tatman – Burruss and Megan Keith re Commercial Corridors and Centers: Land Use Code Updates
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City Manager’s Office
City Hall
Fort Collins, CO 80522
970.221.6505
281 N. College Ave
Fort Collins, CO 80522
www.fcgov.com
MEMORANDUM
DATE: February 6, 2025
TO: Mayor and City Councilmembers
THRU: Kelly DiMartino, City Manager
Tyler Marr, Deputy City Manager
Caryn Champine, Director, Planning, Development & Transportation
FROM: Sylvia Tatman-Burruss, Senior Policy & Project Manager
Megan Keith, Senior Planner
RE: Commercial Corridors and Centers: Land Use Code Updates
__________________________________________________________________________
Bottom Line: The purpose of this memo is to update City Council regarding ongoing work on
the Commercial Corridors and Centers: Land Use Code Updates.
Since the November 2024 work session, work has been ongoing on Land Use Code updates for
Commercial Corridors and Centers. Topics have included:
• What specific Land Use Code changes can support future Place Types, 15-Minute City
objectives, and project Guiding Principles, especially along major arterials and
commercial corridors
• What are the impediments to meeting the vision of future Place Types and Guiding
Principles, within the Land Use Code and otherwise
• What has been the experience of small business owners, consultants and other frequent
code users with the application of the Land Use Code on business start-ups and
development projects
• What has been the experience of staff in the application of the Land Use Code and what
specific changes can be made to improve the process
Guiding Principles
The guiding principles for The Future of Commercial Corridors and Centers: Land Use Code
Updates intend to reflect key priorities for shaping the future of Fort Collins' commercial and
residential development moving forward, ensuring they align with community needs and support
sustainable growth. Following a November Work Session with City Council, the Guiding
Principles were refined to reflect more accessible and specific language:
• Enable more housing and mixed-use buildings, especially along roads with frequent bus
service
• Create resilient commercial and employment centers that are adaptable to future needs
• Create clearer building and site design standards that promote transit use, walking, and
rolling along roads with frequent bus service
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• Improve predictability of the Land Use Code, especially to support small business
owners
15-Minute City Analysis
The six commercial center sites used for community visits in the fall served as case study
locations for a 15-minute city analysis. The analysis was designed to examine the difference
between existing conditions and planned visions for each location, taking into consideration their
envisioned Place Types from City Plan, the existing zoning, as well as existing infrastructure.
Each location is evaluated for accessibility to daily destinations, recreational amenities, and
jobs/housing balance. This evaluation then helps to identify the deficiencies each study location
may have in terms of meeting the criteria of a 15-minute city and what potential implementation
strategies may include.
Implementation Strategies from the evaluation were broken into the following categories:
• Regulatory: Land Use Code changes that could impact the mix of land uses allowed in
certain zones, Street Standards, etc.
• Infrastructure: Meaning infrastructure like bus stops, additional low-stress routes, etc.
Either through private (on-site, redevelopment), or public (generally off-site or exceeding
development standards) investment
• Partnership: working with other entities and/or funding mechanisms (Urban Renewal
Authority, Downtown Development Authority, etc.)
• Next Level Plan: Would require a more focused area plan or detailed planning effort to
better understand next steps for implementation
This analysis recognizes that regulatory changes are only one piece of the puzzle in reaching
the vision of City Plan Place Types and for 15-minute cities. Other investments and policies are
needed to move the needle on several aspects of 15-minute cities, including pedestrian
connectivity, mixed-use development patterns and affordable housing.
While the Land Use Code is connected to the 15-Minute Cities Council Priority, the code
production team will focus specifically on regulatory changes within the Land Use Code for this
project. More information about other aspects of 15-Minute Cities will be discussed at the
upcoming Council Work Session in March.
Focus Groups
Focus Groups were held within the last week in January. The following subjects and participants
were covered:
• Real Estate brokers and those within the real estate finance realm
• Designers, architects, and project consultants
• Local business owners
Participants were asked to share how they interact with the Land Use Code and what aspects
are working or not working well based on their experience. Specific feedback on what sections
of the Land Use Code may require updates or edits was solicited and documented by the focus
group facilitators. Notes from the focus groups will be provided when complete.
April 22nd Work Session and Ongoing Community Engagement
Staff are preparing for an April 22 Work Session with City Council to discuss potential Land Use
Code updates and confirm direction of these updates. Staff intend to advance the conversation
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from the November 2024 Council work session to share more developed options for code
updates, illustrating how changes could advance Council priorities. The intended outcome of the
April 22 work session is to confirm direction of code updates so that staff and the consultant
team can then produce draft code language for review in June.
Staff also plans on hosting another community engagement event in April to complement the
Council Work Session. The engagement event would be an opportunity to share potential code
updates with the community and solicit feedback on the direction of these updates.
CC: Clay Frickey, Senior Planner
Noah Beals, Development Review Manager
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